quae sit multis profutura. quid Murena interea? fortissimo et 20 sapientissimo viro, summo imperatori, legatus L. Lucullo fuit : qua in legatione duxit exercitum, signa contulit, manum conseruit, magnas copias hostium fudit, urbes partim vi, partim obsidione cepit, Asiam istam refertam et eandem delicatam sic obiit, ut in ea neque avaritiae neque luxuriae vestigium reliquerit; maximo in bello sic est versatus, ut hic multas res et magnas sine imperatore gesserit, nullam sine hoc imperator. atque haec quamquam praesente L. Lucullo loquar, tamen, ne ab ipso propter periculum nostrum concessam videamur habere licentiam fingendi, publicis litteris testata sunt omnia, quibus L. Lucullus tantum laudis impertit, quantum neque ambitiosus imperator neque invidus tribuere alteri in communicanda gloria debuit. summa in utroque est honestas, summa dignitas, 21 quam ego, si mihi per Servium liceat, pari atque in eadem laude ponam. sed non licet: agitat rem militarem, insectatur totam hanc legationem, assiduitatis et operarum harum cotidianarum putat esse consulatum.

20. sapientissimo] so in de imp. Gn. Pomp. § 20. M.

refertam] absolutely as in de Orat. 1. § 161, de Republ. II. § 44. H. This marks Murena's want of greed, as delicatam does that of luxuriousness. Z.

quamquam...loquar] though there is no doubt that the usage of Cicero forbids this construction, I hold that Z. is right in bowing to overwhelming MSS. authority and refusing to read loquor. [See Madv. de Fin. III. § 70, note,] he explains it by a supposed change of constr., viz., that Cicero meant to go on with tamen literas Luculli publicas adferendas esse putavi, which T. well characterizes as an arbitrary proceeding. It seems to me that either the MSS. are wrong, or that we must admit the Ciceronian use of the subj. with quamquam in the protasis of oratio recta.

tamen...testata sunt] see on § 15. praesente] he lent his support to the defendant by appearing in court as a backer (advocatus), cf. on § 9.

apud exercitum mihi fueris,

nostrum] he puts himself in his client's place. cf. nobis § 72.

publicis litteris] 'official despatches.'

ambitiosus...etc.] 'more praise than need have been bestowed on a subordinate by any commander that either courted glory himself or grudged it to others.

21. pari] so MSS. the prepos. in is rather out of place. H. accepts Bake's conjecture parem.

agitat] makes it his quarry, cf. de Leg. I. § 40, ut eos agitent insectenturque furiae.

operarum] 'jobs,' perhaps with a touch of the sense day-labourers,' as Z. thinks. The plural is certainly contemptuous; in § 36 the singular is used.

harum]=forensium.

apud...contendas?] loosely quoted by Quintil. V. xiii. 27. Here I have taken the MS. reading, but the punctuation is my own. cf. Madv. 8438, and for fueris subj. § 353, pro Sulla § 44.

mihi] dat. ethicus, cf. § 13.

inquit, tot annos, forum non attigeris? afueris tam diu, ut cum longo intervallo veneris, cum his, qui in foro habitarint, de dignitate contendas? primum ista nostra assiduitas, Servi, nescis quantum interdum adferat hominibus fastidii, quantum satietatis. mihi quidem vehementer expedit positam in oculis esse gratiam, sed tamen ego mei satietatem magno meo labore superavi, et tu idem fortasse; verum tamen utrique nostrum 22 desiderium nihil obfuisset. sed ut hoc omisso ad studiorum atque artium contentionem revertamur, qui potes dubitare quin ad consulatum adipiscendum multo plus adferat dignitatis rei militaris [quam juris civilis] gloria? vigilas tu de nocte, ut tuis consultoribus respondeas, ille, ut eo, quo intendit, mature cum exercitu perveniat: te gallorum, illum bucinarum cantus exsuscitat: tu actionem instituis, ille aciem instruit : tu caves ne tui consultores, ille ne urbes aut castra capiantur :

tot annos] goes with fueris etc., preceding, but has its effect also on the following coordinate interrogation. 'Am I,' says he, to have you spending all those years in the field, while you neglect the forum? being all that time out of Rome, just to return ever so long after and put your claims in competition with those of men who have made the forum their house and home?'

ut] as though Murena had stayed away on purpose, and put forward his absence as a claim to office.

habitarint] H. cf. Brutus § 305, et hi quidem habitabant in Rostris. de Orat. I. § 264, is qui habitaret in subselliis.

primum] to begin with.'

expedit] so MSS., and it is far better than Lambinus' expedit.

idem] so MSS., sc. fecisti, as often. verum tamen] catches up sed tamen sup., and gives the same idea a different turn, but as I say,'... cf. ad Attic. I. 10, § 1, II in Verr. III. § 4.

desiderium] H. cf. ad Attic. II. 5, § I. 'It would not have been such a bad thing for either of us, had we been missed awhile from our haunts.'

22. quam iuris civilis] If these words are genuine, gloria is ironically referred to them. But MS. Lag. 9 omits them, and so Z. plausibly.

vigilas &c.] quoted by Quint. IX. ii. 100, iii. 32, with slight variations.

de nocte] 'before break of day,' cf. § 69.

consultoribus] For the pressure of these on a iuris consultus, cf. de Orat. I. §§ 199, 200, Phil. VIII. $ 31.

gallorum] M. well compares Hor. Sat. I. I. 9, agricolam laudat iuris legumque peritus, sub galli cantum consultor ubi ostia pulsat.

instituis...instruit] Notice the play on the words: 'while you are setting on foot a pleading, he is setting in array an army.' cf. Phil. IX. § II (also of Sulpicius), neque instituere litium actiones malebat quam controversias tollere. For the technical actiones (verbal processes) cf. on § 29.

capiantur] be taken unawares,' a neutral word, applying to the court and the field alike. cf. Acad. Pr. II. § 66, cavere ne capiatur, and note on cavendi, sup. § 19.

ille tenet et scit, ut hostium copiae, tu, ut aquae pluviae arceantur: ille exercitatus est in propagandis finibus, tu in regendis. ac nimirum-dicendum est enim quod sentio-rei militaris virtus praestat ceteris omnibus. x. haec nomen populo Romano, haec huic urbi aeternam gloriam peperit, haec orbem terrarum parere huic imperio coegit: omnes urbanae res, omnia haec nostra praeclara studia et haec forensis laus et industria latent in tutela ac praesidio bellicae virtutis. simul atque increpuit suspicio tumultus, artes ilico nostrae conticescunt.

et quoniam mihi videris istam scientiam iuris tamquam 23 filiolam osculari tuam, non patiar te diutius in tanto errore versari, ut istud nescio quid, quod tanto opere didicisti, praeclarum aliquid esse arbitrere. aliis ego te virtutibus, continentiae, gravitatis, iustitiae, fidei, ceteris omnibus, consulatu et omni honore semper dignissimum iudicavi: quod quidem ius civile didicisti, non dicam, operam perdidisti, sed illud dicam, nullam esse in ista disciplina munitam ad consulatum viam,

tenet] sc. mente, cf. § 26 tenebant, and de Fin. 111. § 44, quod idem Peripatetici non tenent.

aquae pluviae] i. e. you know how to set on foot in right form an actio aquae pluviae arcendae. No proprietor had a right to build a house so that the rain-water from the roof fell on another man's ground, unless he had the benefit of a servitude, called stillicidii servitus, or ius stillicidii, cf. Top. § 43, de Orat. I. § 173, Lord Mackenzie, Roman Law, pt. II. C. 5. From a quotation in the Digest, it has been inferred that Sulpicius had written some treatise on this point of law.

propagandis finibus] sc. of the empire, 'frontiers.'

regendis] of estates, 'in settling questions of boundary-lines.'

x. latent] cf. Liv. XXXIV. 9, sub umbra Romanae amicitiae latebant. 'lie safe and sound.'

in tutela] like wards (pupilli) in charge of a guardian (tutor).

increpuit] at the faintest alarm of

war, cf. in Catil. 1. § 18, in Pis. § 99.

tumultus] a war in Italy,' as usually. H. well refers to Phil. v. § 31, tumultum decerni, iustitium edici, saga sumi dico oportere. The word is fully discussed in Phil. VIII. §§ 2--4.

23. osculari] 'to hug,' 'fondle.' Z. cf. ad Fam. I. 9, § 10.

didicisti] so MSS. 'that you have at your fingers' ends by this time,' better than the conjecture dilexisti.

virtutibus] abl. of cause, cf. de Orat. III. § 199, quadam mediocritate laudatur, it is here strangely used close to the abl. consulatu &c., depending on dignissimum.

continentiae, gravitatis, &c.] Genitives of more specific definition, cf. Madv. § 286 obs. 2: they are used instead of an apposition, and should be so rendered in English; so with nomen §§ 13, 67.

quidem] introduces the opposition, as in § 12, maledicto quidem, &c.

omnes enim artes, quae nobis populi Romani studia concilient, et admirabilem dignitatem et pergratam utilitatem debent ha24 bere. XI. summa dignitas est in his, qui militari laude antecellunt omnia enim, quae sunt in imperio et in statu civitatis, ab his defendi et firmari putantur; summa etiam utilitas, si quidem eorum consilio et periculo cum re publica, tum etiam nostris rebus perfrui possumus. gravis etiam illa est et plena dignitatis dicendi facultas, quae saepe valuit in consule deligendo, posse consilio atque oratione et senatus et populi et eorum, qui res iudicant, mentes permovere. quaeritur consul, qui dicendo nonnumquam comprimat tribunicios furores, qui concitatum populum flectat, qui largitioni resistat.

non mirum,

si ob hanc facultatem homines saepe etiam non nobiles consulatum consecuti sunt, praesertim cum haec eadem res plurimas gratias, firmissimas amicitias, maxima studia pariat: quorum in isto vestro artificio, Sulpici, nihil est. primum

artes] 'pursuits,' 'professions,' as in § 22.

quae concilient] 'such as to win the support of'...the MSS. have the indicative, 'which generally win'... and I cannot see why this should not stand.

xi. 24. his] has better MSS. authority than lis; 'our friends who'... speaking to Sulpicius and indicating Murena. cf. on § 3.

statu civitatis]= quae ad salutem civitatis pertinent, M. All that concerns the assured perntanence of the State,' H., who cf. pro Sestio § 1. The position of our State in the world,' in relation to others; Z. and T., who cf. de Rep. II. § 2, praestare nostrae civitatis statum ceteris civitatibus, pro Flacco § 3, totum statum civitatis. But in de Rep. II. § 2 it clearly 'our constitution,' and I believe the same to be the meaning in pro Sestio § I and pro Flacco § 3. Is it not also here? One consul was at this very time away, putting down the Catilinarian insurrection. For all things within the sphere of our rule abroad

or our constitution at home are felt

to get their protection and maintenance from these.'

consilio] so § 33. 'vis consili expers' comes to a bad end, Hor. Carm. III. 4. 65; ' tact.'

posse] the subject of valuit, in apposition to facultas. Z. For the sentiment H. cf. de Orat. I. § 30. valuit, 'has turned the day.'

consilio, &c.] 'by tact and power of speaking.'

furores...largitioni] able to put down hot-headed tribunes, to..., to stand out against a proposed bounty.' largitio, here the distribution of lands or corn to the people by a lex agraria or frumentaria. He is thinking of his own speeches de lege agraria contra Rullum, delivered early in this very year. cf. § 30.

non nobiles] such as Cicero himself.

gratias] 'obligations,' under which the eloquent counsel lays many clients and their friends. For plural cf. § 42.

artificio] 'technical dexterity,' 'knack.' Depreciatory, cf. on § 29.

dignitas in tam tenui scienția non potest esse: res enim sunt 25 parvae, prope in singulis litteris atque interpunctionibus verborum occupatae. deinde, etiamsi quid apud maiores nostros fuit in isto studio admirationis, id enuntiatis vestris mysteriis totum est contemptum et abiectum. posset agi lege necne, pauci quondam sciebant; fastos enim vulgo non habebant: erant in magna potentia qui consulebantur, a quibus etiam dies tamquam a Chaldaeis petebatur. inventus est scriba quidam Cn. Flavius, qui cornicum oculos confixerit et singulis diebus ediscendis fastos populo proposuerit et ab ipsis causis iure consultorum sapientiam compilarit. Itaque irati illi, quod sunt veriți, ne dierum ratione pervulgata et cognita sine sua opera lege agi posset, verba quaedam composuerunt, ut omnibus in rebus ipsi interessent.

25. dignitas, etc.] Cicero speaks more highly of jurisprudence in de Orat. 1. §§ 234-236, more highly still in the speech pro Caecina. tenui] 'paltry,' perhaps with a notion of 'hair-splitting.' Hor. A. P. 46.

res] the matter,' occupatae in, 'taken up with.'

litteris] sc. questions of spelling, cf. auceps syllabarum, de Orat. I. § 236.

interpunctionibus verborum] such as the questions whether a man was to be buried in culto loco or inculto loco, and whether a man had left his whole property to Aéw or his property to Πανταλέων (πάντα Λέοντι οι Πανταλέοντι), given by Quint. VII. ix. 5, 6; many such ambiguities, observes Z., are found in laws.

agi lege] whether actions at law could be brought or no,' cf. Div. in Caecil. § 19, i.e. whether a certain day belonged to the dies fasti or nefasti, cf. Ovid, Fasti, I. 45 foll. fastos] calendar,' with the days marked F. or N.

6

qui consulebantur] sc. the pontifices, in whose hands the regulation of the calendar lay, and who were

the sole jurisconsults until 304 B. C.

a Chaldaeis as an astrologer is entreated to point out a 'fucky' day.

Cn. Flavius] cf. de Orat. 1. § 186, ad Att. VI. 1, § 8, Plin. H. N. XXXIII. 17.

carnicum oculos] i. e. took in knowing men; a proverb, cf. pro Flacco 46, and Propert. V. 5. 16, where it refers to a charm for blinding even the watchful. The crow was thought to be especially fond of pecking out the eyes of other animals.

ediscendis] by learning the days one by one, i. e. whether they were fasti or nefasti. So Pliny, Appi Caeci hortatu exceperat eos dies consultando adsidue sagaci ingenio, H. has discendis, dative, 'for learning.'

ab ipsis causis] sc. consultando adsidue, as Pliny says; from the individual cases in court.' He seems to have noted not merely the day on which the case was tried, but also the form of pleading [actiones, Cic. ll. cc. sup.].

compilarit] pilfered,' got together by hook or by crook.'

verba] sc. they made the forms of pleading more and more intricate.